125 Years
Oct. 16, 1899
An empty box car standing in the C.H.&D. yards was discovered to be on fire early this morning. The fire was put out by the use of buckets of water. It is supposed that tramps spent the night in the car, built a fire and failed to put it out when they left.
A Piper’s Big Store. Fur opening, Oct. 20, by Mr. E.P. Robinson, the well-known salesman, with a full line of fine and medium fur garments. All are invited. – Advertisement
Considerable interest is being taken in the oil well being put down on the Cole farm this side of Uno. The well is down over 1,300 feet and Trenton rock was struck yesterday. A small flow of gas was struck last evening when fifteen feet in the rock. It is the intention to drill sixty feet into the rock and then shoot the well.
100 Years
Oct. 16, 1924
Sidney’s Halloween Celebration will be the biggest affair of the year. Organizers are trying to get all new model autos in the parade. There will be floats, Dutch band, and Indian pow-wow, and an old colonial float in the parade. It is expected to be at least two miles long.
The post office department has allowed the Sidney post office a new GMC truck for the parcel post delivery in this city. The old Fort truck has done good service but it was too light in weight to travel on the hills and as most of our factories are located where it is necessary to climb hills it has greatly overtaxed this equipment.
75 Years
Oct. 16, 1949
Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Rum Creek Methodist church, located northwest of Maplewood, was host to its congregation and friends Sunday for a homecoming day.
Announcement of the successful completion of the Sidney First Methodist church’s building fund campaign was greeted with an inspired singing of the doxology by members Sunday. The building fund, now $115,593, will finance beautification of the sanctuary and renovation of the Sunday school facilities.
The Fort Loramie Future Farmers of America general livestock judging team returned from the national FFA convention in Kansas City with the second highest possible ranking in the United States for their judging prowess. A silver emblem plaque was awarded to Vernon Hilgefort, Carl Boerger, and Edward Hoying, advised by Henry Horstman, vocational agriculture teacher.
50 Years
Oct. 16, 1974
Mrs. J. Daniel Francis has been elected president of the Charity League, replacing Mrs. Don E. Strausser. The league will hold tag days in November in an effort to raise money to buy Christmas toys for needy children in Shelby County.
Excavation of blue limestone, reportedly the first ever found in Shelby County, is underway at the Miami River Stone Co.
25 Years
Oct. 16, 1999
HOUSTON – The Hardin-Houston Board of Education Monday night set the date for the fall sports banquet. It will be Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. at Houston.
Local 725 Copeland Retirees will meet Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. at the IUE Hall on County Road 25A. The group will then leave for a trip to West Liberty. All retirees and spouses are welcome.
These news items from past issues of the Sidney Daily News are compiled by the Shelby County Historical Society (937-498-1653) as a public service to the community. Local history on the Internet! www.shelbycountyhistory.org. Visit the Sidney Daily News website, www.sidneydailynews.com to read the rest of the week’s columns.
